The present application claims priority to Application No. 101 61 446.2, filed in the Federal Republic of Germany on Dec. 14, 2001, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
The present invention relates to an airbag housing that includes an airbag and a gas generator.
German Published Patent Application No. 198 51 975 describes an airbag housing that has a basic housing member for accommodating an airbag and a gas generator. An open side region, which is occluded by a side cover, is situated in the basic housing member, on both sides of it, next to an outlet orifice for the airbag.
In order to render the airbag housing compliant for the possible impact of a body, e.g. in the case of a slight accident in which the airbag is not fired, slits are introduced into the side covers, the slits extending essentially perpendicularly to the expected impact direction, so that the resistance of the side cover to deformation is reduced. The basic member can only yield in response to the action of a force, because the slots make the side covers ductile. If the airbag housing is subjected to impact, both the basic housing member and the side covers can be deformed, and therefore, injuries can be prevented.
In order to introduce the slots into the side covers, material is first punched out, and, in order to prevent the airbag from being damaged upon deployment, the edges of the slots are subsequently bent and deburred. Therefore, the introduction of slots into the side cover represents a marked increase in outlay during the manufacture of such airbag housings.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag housing, which may be simpler to manufacture, while retaining advantages of the related art.
The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an airbag housing as described herein.
Side covers are attached to a basic housing member by connecting elements. The present invention provides for at least one connecting element being constructed in such a manner, that it is supported so as to be movable with respect to the side covers. Since the connecting element is rigidly connected to the basic housing member, the basic housing member may be deformed in response to the impact of a body, without the side covers having to be machined in a costly manner. Therefore, the processing-intensive slots in the side cover may be dispensed with. The movable connecting elements may therefore ensure that the basic housing member may move with respect to the side covers, without compulsorily deforming the side covers as well. The movable connecting elements allow the side covers to put up almost no opposition to the movement of the basic member, so that the basic member may deform more easily. In addition, the movable connecting elements may prevent the airbag from being damaged upon deployment, since the side covers may be formed without cut-outs in the deployment region of the airbag.
When the connecting element is movably supported in a direction approximately parallel to the expected impact direction, the resistance of the side covers may be reduced in an optimum manner.
In order to provide the basic member with a deformation path in response to impact, the connecting element, along with the basic housing member, may be supported at the side cover so as to be able to slide. Apart from the sliding bearing, other connections between the basic housing member and the side covers are possible.
The connecting element may be a screw, which crosses through the side cover in a slotted hole. However, rivets, pins, etc. may also be used as connecting elements.
The slotted hole may allow the screw to be supported so as to be able to be slide in a direction corresponding to the expected direction of impact.
To stabilize the airbag housing, a fastening clip on the side cover may extend across the entire height of the basic housing member.
In order to still support the screw together with the basic housing, so as to be movable with respect to the side cover, the upper end of the fastening clip may have a slot, which is positioned so as to be coincident with the slotted hole.
In one example embodiment of the present invention, the lower end of the fastening clip may be fastened to the side cover, using a screw connection.
Further aspects and example embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the drawing.